This is going to be a fun matchup to watch. Whatever happens, the Ravens are going to find it hard to run against the Niners' fourth-ranked rush defense. The real question is will the Ravens then abandon the run game.

I believe a big part of the reason Jim Cladwell is the offensive coordinator is due to Cam Cameron odd penchant to abandon the run game. Will Caldwell do the same thing on the biggest stage?

Caldwell has been calling the plays for the last six Ravens games. After the first of those six, Baltimore has rushed for at least 121 yards in each game. They only pulled that off five times in the first 13 of the season.

Well since Week 10, the 49ers have allowed a team to cross the 100-yard mark in rushing just twice.

Baltimore is going to struggle to make much happen on the ground in this one, and we'll see if it leads to them giving up on running the ball.

Anquan Boldin Will Excel

The 49ers have a viscous front seven, but the corners leave something to be desired.

Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown and Chris Culliver form a physical group that is at its best when keeping receivers from quickly opening space. However, once a quarterback gets a little time, problems arise.

This is where Boldin comes in. At 6'1", 220 pounds, Boldin has no problem playing physical. He also has a great feel for finding open spots in defenses. Boldin will make himself available for quarterback Joe Flacco.

Also, Boldin is a proven big-game player. He has 16 catches for 276 yards and three touchdowns this postseason. In his previous Super Bowl with the Arizona Cardinals, he snagged eight catches for 84 yards.

Last week, the Falcons Julio Jones and Roddy White combined for 18 catches, 282 yards and two touchdowns. I expect Boldin and Torrey Smith to not catch those numbers, but land in the ballpark with Boldin putting up the better numbers of the two.

Joe Flacco Will Be MVP

This game is going to come down to the wire with the Ravens winning, 31-27.

Joe Flacco will do what Joe Flacco does: perform in the playoffs. This postseason, Flacco has thrown for eight touchdowns and no interceptions, and in his last seven playoff games, he has 15 touchdowns and two interceptions.

The 49ers have had a hard time getting to the quarterback and Flacco will pick them apart with time to scan the field.